Golfer&#39;s training aid including wrist movement indicator means



o 31, 1967 A. B CARMINES 3,350,100

GOLFERS TRAINING AID INCLUDING WRIST MOVEMENT INDICATOR MEANS Filed June28, 1965 FIG-2 3/ I k F4 INVENTOR l/ZZ/ inn-0 .5 GwM/A/i:

37 FIG-4 flw w flrraiwiri United States Patent 3,350,100 GOLFERSTRAINING AID INCLUDING WRIST MOVEMENT INDICATOR MEANS Alfred B.Carmines, 412 Texas St., 7 San Francisco, Calif. 94107 Filed June 28,1965, Ser. No. 467,193 6 Claims. (Cl. 273-183) My invention relates tomeans adapted to be worn by a golfer to give him an indication when hehas exceeded the bounds of the preferred manner of motion for accom-.

plishing a golf stroke.

A great deal of attention is paid by golfers to the movement ofparticular parts of the body in performing a golfing stroke in orderthat their movements will be so coordinated andrelated as to produce amaximum result. Occasionally golfers depart from the ideal or preferredmovements and do so unwittingly, impairing their game without realizingthe difliculty. This occurs often in connection with wrist motions orthe relative motions between the golfers hand and his forearm.

It istherefore an object of my invention to provide a golfers aid'whichcan be worn by the golfer and will afford an indication to him wheneverthere is movement of an unwanted character between his forearm and hand.

Another object of the invention is to provide a golfers aid which willin no wise distract from or interfere with the normal playing by thegolfer, but will assist him in determining when his bodily movements,particularly his forearm and hand movements, are in accordance with hispreferences.

Another object of the invention is to provide a golfers aid which willbe of assistance to a golfer in improving the motions he utilizes inplaying the game.

Another object of the invention is in general to provide an aid togolfers which will assist them in improving their playing of the game.

Other objects are attained in the embodiment of the invention describedin the accompanying description and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan of a golfers aid constructed in accordance with theinvention, certain portions being broken away to reduce the size of thefigure;

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal cross section to an enlarged scale, the planeof the section being indicated by the line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a detail in cross section, the plane of which is indicatedby the line 33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a detail in cross section, the plane of which is indicatedby the line 4-4 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary view to an enlarged scale and from belowshowing the construction adjacent the pivot structure.

While the golfers aid pursuant to the invention can be embodied in anumber of different ways, it has successfully been made and used asshown herein as an example. In this arrangement the user is providedWith a wrist band generally designated 6 and including two parts. Thefirst part is a partial bracelet 7 conveniently of relatively stiffmetal so as to afford a firm or stiff mounting. It is of flattenedcircular contour and is provided with a resilient lining layer 8 ofrubber or the like. The bracelet 7 is provided with a flared edge 9 soas not to interfere with the golfers movement and so as to be quitecomfortable.

Also included in the wrist band 6 is a wrist strap 11. This is a wideband of leather or like flexible material provided with a pair ofbuckles 12 and 13 and a corresponding pair of perforated straps 14 and16. The straps can be engaged with the buckles after they encompass theusers forearm so that they are in firm engagement with the forearm andprovide a flexible yet secure attachment.

v 19 and 21 to the bracelet 7 and to the wrist strap 11. In

this way there is afforded a firm mounting for the first strap 17 sothat such strap is relatively immovable with respect to the usersforearm adjacent his wrist.

A flexible glove 23 is likewise provided, and this is either a completeglove or is a mitt, depending upon the users preference, and is adaptedto be worn on his hand in the customary fashion. The glove 23 is securedto a rigid second strap 24 through the medium of a reinforcing plate 26and a cushion liner 27, the fastening of the parts being accomplished byrivets 28 and 29 so that there is provided a second strap 24 relativelyimmovable with respect to the golfers hand.

The first strap 17 and the second strap 24 are secured together forpivotal movement about an axis 31 (FIG- URE 4). This axis issubstantially perpendicular to the back of the users wrist and islocated substantialy above his wrist when his palm is horizontal andbelow. The pivotal connection is provided by a flanged bushing 32passing through openings in the first strap 17 and the second strap 24and held in position against a friction washer 33 by a machine screw 34.A look screw 36 is turned into abutment with the stem of the machinescrew 34 when an appropriate frictional interengagement has beenprovided about the axis 31. With this arrangement, the two straps 17 and24 can easily be rotated relative to each other about the axis 31 as apivot and with substantially no friction or an adjusted amount offriction. In this fashion, and because of the interconnection of theseparts with the users forearm and hand, the motions of the user arerelatively controlled and confined.

Since it is desired to have substantially no relative rotation about theaxis 31 during certain parts of the users movements, or it is desirableto know in just what part of the users swing substantial wrist motionoccurs, means are provided for affording an audible sound or warning toindicate when such motion takes place.

For that purpose there is provided on the second strap 24 a ribbedbracket 37 secured in position by a pair of rivets 38. The bracketextends upwardly to engage a longitudinally movable tubular slide 41.The slide is pro vided with internal threads 42 engaged by externalthreads 43 on a screw 44. A groove 46 adjacent the head 47 of the screwpermits rotation thereof but holds the screw against axial translationby interengagement with an L-shaped bracket 48 held by a rivet 49 on thesecond strap 24. When the screw head 47 is rotated, the threads 43 inengagement with the threads 42 move the slide 41 to and fro, and theinterengagement of the ribbed bracket 37 prevents rotation of the member41.

Pursuant to the invention, the slide 41 carries a fork 51 between thetines of which is disposed a spring finger 52 secured in position by ascrew 53. The spring finger is preferably pointed at its free end, andif there is pivotal movement about the axis 31, the spring finger movesin accordance therewith and in response to the relative motion betweenthe strap 17 and the strap 24.

To cooperate with the spring finger 52 there is provided on the otherstrap, in this instance the first strap 17, an upstanding abutment 56 inthe shape of a round rod having an enlarged base 57 and a riveted head58 for securing the abutment in position. Whenever there is motionthrough a predetermined range near center so that the spring fingerencounters the abutment 56 in such motion, the spring finger isrestrained temporarily and then is released by the abutment and inreleasing vibrates rapidly and emits an audible signal so that thewearer knows that he has moved his wrist with respect to his forearm.This is true for either direction of motion since the spring finger willact similarly no matter from which side of the abutment 56 it is sprung.

By turning the adjustment 47, the spring finger 52 is advanced orretracted with respect to the abutment 56 and can thus be changed toemit a very slight sound or to emit a rather penetrating loud sound.This also changes the timing of the sound relative to the position ofthe parts. The golfer can adjust this to suit his own fancy and can thusget warning of improper or undesired relative motion of his wristbetween his hand and his forearm.

In order to maintain the parts within a certain range of motion, thebottom or nether side of the first strap 17 is preferably provided witha pair of tangential faces 61 and 62 which come against abutments 63 and64 protruding from the nether face of the second strap 24 when thestraps have turned through the maximum desired rotation.

What is claimed is:

1. A golfers aid comprising a glove adapted to be worn on the golfershand, a wrist band adapted to be worn on the golfers forearm just abovethe wrist, a first strap secured to said wrist band, a second strapsecured to said glove, means for pivotably connecting said first strapand said second strap together, a spring finger, means for mounting saidspring finger on one of said straps to extend over the other one of saidstraps, and

abutment means on said other one of said straps in the path of saidspring finger and adapted to flex and release said spring finger with anaudible sound when said first strap and said second strap pivot withrespect to each other through a predetermined range.

2. A golfers aid as in claim 1 in which said mounting means is movableto afford more or less engagement of said spring finger with saidabutment means.

3. A golfers aid as in claim 1 in which the axis of said pivoting meansis approximately normal to and is disposed substantially above the backof the users wrist when said aid is worn by the golfer.

4. A golfers aid as in claim 1 in which said wrist band includes a strapadapted to encircle and fasten around the users forearm just above thewrist.

5. A golfers aid as in claim 1 in which said wrist band includes abracelet adapted partially to encircle the users forearm.

6. A golfers aid as in claim 1 in which means are provided for limitingthe relative pivotal movement of said first strap and said second strap.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS G. J. MARLO, Assistant Examiner.

1. A GOLFER''S AID COMPRISING A GLOVE ADAPTED TO BE WORN ON THEGOLFER''S HAND, A WRIST BAND ADATPED TO BE WORN ON THE GOLFER''S FOREARMJUST ABOVE THE WRIST, A FIRST STRAP SECURED TO SAID WRIST BAND, A SECONDSTRAP SECURED TO SAID GLOVE, MEANS FOR PIVOTABLY CONNECTING SAID FIRSTSTRAP AND SAID SECOND STRAP TOGETHER, A SPRING FINGER, MEANS FORMOUNTING SAID SPRING FINGER ON ONE OF SAID STRAPS TO EXTEND OVER THEOTHER ONE OF SAID STRAPS, AND ABUTMENT MEANS ON SAID OTHER ONE OF SAIDSTRAPS IN THE PATH OF SAID SPRING FINGER AND ADAPTED TO FLEX AND RELEASESAID SPRING FINGER WITH AN AUDIBLE SOUND WHEN SAID FIRST STRAP AND SAIDSECOND STRAP PIVOT WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER THROUGH A PREDETERMINEDRANGE.